Calif. to propose new student achievement testing

LOS ANGELES 
California's students may not have so many "bubbles" to fill in on state standardized tests in the future.

Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson was slated Tuesday to unveil a proposal for a system of student achievement testing that is expected to emphasize critical thinking skills over choosing the best answer under a multiple choice method.

Torlakson's proposal was culled from the recommendations of a task force that studied new testing methods for six months last year under a mandate from the state Legislature. The goal is to have testing reflect the analysis and problem-solving skills that are stressed under the new national curriculum known as Common Core State Standards, which is being rolled out across California.

Several themes emerged during the task force's research, including a requirement for students to write more extended and expressive responses, said Norman Gold, a Berkeley education consultant who served on the committee.

"There's a move away from filling in bubbles and toward performance tasks," said Gold, who added that he had not seen the superintendent's final proposal. "We're all very much in favor of going away from the bubble."

Additionally, the committee also recommended "matrix testing," in which a class is tested on different skills to provide a better overview of what the class learned as a whole.

"This would test a bigger sample of the curriculum," Gold said.

The committee also recommended more accommodations for English learners and students with disabilities to more accurately gauge their knowledge.

Students starting to learn English, for example, should be tested in their primary language, have tests with simplified instructions and glossaries, and even have exams delivered by audio. With computerized testing, that can all be done easily, Gold said.

Another committee recommendation was to start testing students in the third grade, instead of second. Federal standards call for testing to start in third grade.

"They are too young in second grade," said Cecelia Mansfield, legislative advocate for the California Parent Teacher Association, who served on the task force.

The committee also recommended changes in the high school exit exam to make it more oriented toward skills employers are seeking, such as problem-solving, instead of just mastery of knowledge, Mansfield said. One suggestion was that part of the test involve a student project that would include collaboration.

State standardized tests measure student progress mainly in English language arts and math, and qualify high school students for graduation.

Results are used largely to judge how well schools are doing their job and are a key factor in a school's so-called "academic performance index," a ranking that enables parents and the community to easily compare schools.

The new testing system is scheduled to be rolled out in the 2014-15 school year after it is approved by the lawmakers and the governor.